Time and Time Again
by lexabean
Summary: Walter made the ultimate sacrifice to save the past by living the rest of his life in the future. Or so he thought. Two years after his disappearance, someone breaks into the abandoned Harvard lab. Is she friend or foe? What's her connection to the "Observers"? And what's Walter been up to? Not everything is as it seems in the Fringe-verse and things are about to get complicated.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**I do not own Fringe or any of its characters. Cover image is also not mine. **

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><p>She was running faster than ever before. She could hear her racing heart beat thudding against her eardrums as panic and adrenaline coursed through her veins.<p>

Bright fluorescent bulbs flashed past her as she ran through the windowless hallway. The walls were a blinding white shade that seemed to find no exit, no window.

She could hear the stern click of boot soles on the tile floor, running after her. She made another quick turn in the hallway, finally finding the door she was looking for. Quickly opening the it, she scanned it for her target: there it was, the brown leather bag he'd given her. Hopefully they didn't go through it.

Grabbing hold of it she ran across the room towards the other door on the parallel where she just came from.

Pounding. Shooting. Shouting. That's all that can be heard. Guards attempted to reach her; a stoic man in a suit lead them in their endeavors.

She jumped up a flight of stairs two at a time to make as much possible distance between them.

She turned left, finally seeing it: a way out.

She saw her reflection in the glass as she charged towards the window, brown leather bag in hand. Seconds before she reached it, she saw the image of the man in the suit behind her; he stood firmly as he held up his right arm, gun in hand, and fired.

She heard the echo of the shot at the same time she crashed through the window. She was suspended in the cold midnight air for a split second. The glass shards succumbed to the gravity before she did. The darkness of the sky so vividly contrasted the bright light emanating from behind her.

Eyes tightly shut, she thought of the words he told her. She thought of the images he showed her of the dark haired man and the blond woman with green eyes.

She began reciting it in her mind.

_Harvard._

_Harvard University._

_Harvard University, Massachusetts._

_Harvard University, 2017._

And in a flash, she was gone.


	2. Chapter 1

**Boston, Massachusetts, 2017**

It's been almost two years since Walter's mysterious disappearance. The tape didn't help mitigate the anger and grief felt by his son. Though he himself had no memory of the "Observer timeline" (as Walter referred to it) he couldn't help but question the sanity of his father's message. Doubtful he'd make up such a story, Peter tried to locate his father. No such luck.

But time goes on, and Peter Bishop had no choice but to accept his father's disappearance as something he could not change.

He sits calmly on the kitchen table, sipping his coffee and reading the morning paper. The sun peers through the window, reflecting off the pages. Damn house on Quincy faced East.

Upstairs, the soft thump of bare feet running across a carpet floor attempted to escape the brushing of hair. Olivia laughed as she caught her daughter trying to squeeze under the queen size bed of the master bedroom. Etta, now 5 years old, had enough exuberance to put Energizer out of business.

"Etta, mommy needs to get dressed or she's gonna be late again," Olivia said playfully as she quickly brushed Etta's blond hair, "Daddy already made breakfast so put on your shoes and get going."

Etta eagerly jumped out of her mother's arms and ran out the door towards the kitchen.

Olivia couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's antics. _That is definitely my fault_.

After dressing in one of her black pantsuits and heading downstairs, Olivia came up behind Peter, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Why good morning to you, too." Peter replied with a smile. Olivia walked over to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup. Turning around and leaning against the counter, she gazed happily as Peter attempted to feed Etta a bowl of Cheerios.

It all seemed so perfect. Fringe Division seemed to quiet down since Bell's last stunt to end the world. Peter still consulted, but things weren't the same without Walter's eccentricities.

Since his disappearance, no one's set foot in the Harvard lab. Motion sensors and cameras keep a watchful eye on it, at Peter's request.

Not that anyone would want to break into such a place.

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><p>Olivia's day at the office seemed like any other when there was no case. Astrid, long since promoted to Special Agent, worked alongside Olivia, taking her spot at second in command.<p>

Her day was filled with mindless paperwork and fighting with the copy machine. She glanced at the clock, eagerly waiting for it to signal the end of her day, when she could go home and indulge in the quiet normalcy of her life.

Peter's freelance work as an engineer kept him at home most of the time. He embraced his stay at home role, although it turned Etta into a daddy's girl.

As the clock struck 7:30 she quickly glanced at the family photo on her desk before gathering her things. Turning off the computer and shutting the door, she made her way down to the parking garage.

As she pulled into the main road, a man in a curious suit caught her eye.

_That guy must be freezing. And crazy_. The September weather had no mercy on Boston.

Ignoring him, Olivia made her way home to Quincy street.

"Mommy!" A joyful Etta launched herself into Olivia's arms the moment she stepped into the warm house.

"Hello there, monkey. How was your day at school?" Olivia asked as she walked towards the kitchen with Etta in her grasp.

"We made pictures with our hands" Etta said, wiggling her stained fingers in her mother's face, "I made more with Daddy after."

Setting her down on a chair, Olivia examined a colorful rendition of a dog and a grass field.

"She's still begging for that dog," Peter commented as he walked into the kitchen.

"His name will be Riley and he will be shaggy and playful."

"Well munchkin, first you need to properly take care of that goldfish before we move onto bigger pets." Olivia replied.

"Promise?" Etta asked cutely.

"I promise baby girl."

"Come'on Etta. Time for bed." Peter ushered her into his arms.

"I want mommy to read me a story." Peter glanced at Olivia before she gestured Etta towards her.

"Alright, but only one because mom needs her rest, too" Peter said as he passed her to Olivia.

Upstairs, Olivia read until Etta fell asleep. She got up and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before leaving.

"Feels weird, doesn't it?" Peter asked Olivia as she emerged from her shower and into the bedroom to brush her hair.

"What does?"

"The nice, quiet life we have now."

"Careful, you'll jinx it," Olivia said playfully as she got into some sweats and a shirt. Hair still wet, she walks over to where Peter lay on the bed. He smiles, ear to ear, as she crawls onto him, eyeing him seductively.

"Well you know me, always needing something weird to make me feel alive," He says, as Olivia places a kiss on his lips. He deepens the kiss as Olivia moves, now straddling him, cupping his face.

She breaks the kiss to gaze into his eyes. A slow smile creeps onto her face, "I love you."

Peter grins and answers, "I love you, too, Olivia Dunham," before placing his right hand on the small of her back and rolling her under him.

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><p>Another flash and she falls to the ground, rolling with the continued momentum of her jump. She gasps as her vision begins to falter; falling to her knees she feels the glass cutting at the tender flesh of her palms. She looks up, the trees and buildings acquire a rainbow glimmer around the edges.<p>

_I need to find him._

She tries to stand up, but the motion ripples through her head. She hears them, the voices. They get louder and more intense as she stumbles forward in an attempt to walk. Grabbing the brown leather bag, she takes hold of a rail to her right. She barges through the door and into an empty hallway, thankful it's late and the hallways empty. She leans into the walls, letting them guide her towards the place.

She finds the door chained closed with a lock. Her trembling fingers dial the combination_ 052010_. With a click it opens and she staggers into the room, unable to keep the voices at bay, or her vision steady.

With the last bit of strength she can muster, she makes it towards one of the lab tables and sets down the brown leather bag, hoping to be spotted by one of the cameras.

She's barely conscious when he runs into the room in a panic only a minute later. She smiles from her place by the table before groaning in pain.

Relief swallows her whole as she realizes she's finally safe. Succumbing to the darkness, she utters his name:

_"Walter."_

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><p><strong>So what do you guys think? This is my first Fringe fic and my second story. Let me know if the tenses are correct. Please review! <strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: not mine.**

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><p>A warm silence filled the house at night. Peter and Olivia lay in each other's arms as sleep danced in their heads. A light buzz rang against the wooden surface of the bedside furniture. The sound pulled Olivia from her peaceful slumber.<p>

Groaning, she reached over, eyes still closed, and answered, "Dunham."

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><p>Getting a last minute babysitter was not an easy feat; Olivia managed to get a neighbor to watch Etta while she and Peter raced over to Harvard Lab. Olivia sat in the driver seat, zooming past cars and cutting people off as she recalled the phones call...<p>

_"What do you mean there's been a breach?" Olivia asked urgently, inadvertently waking Peter beside her._

_"Motion sensors picked up activity and the cameras recorded a woman stumbling into the lab. They went dark after a man entered the lab, too." explained the agent._

_"How long ago did this happen?" Olivia asked, already out of bed, pulling her clothes on._

_"About five minutes ago, and I'm pretty sure it's still happening. Harvard cams show what looks like your next fringe event Agent Dunham."_

_"Send me the footage."_

_"Already sent," the agent replied. Olivia pulled the phone away from her ear to open the video file. There's a small flash as a woman falls out of no where two feet off the ground and then tumbling forward. She staggers before moving into what Olivia assumes to be the lab. She receives a second video file inside the lab, where the woman collapses near a table._

_Then she sees him. His silhouette is unrecognizable to most, but she sees him instantly. His familiar flat cap gives him away._

_She stutters, glancing at Peter whose back is to her as her puts his boots on, "I-I'm on my way."_

_"Will you require back-up?"_

_"Ah, no, no. She looks too injured to be any threat. Peter and I can handle it. Thanks agent." She quickly hangs up the phone and gets the rest of her bearings._

"That could be anyone and besides he's not the only one with that kind of hat or body shape. I mean he looks kind of like Walter but…"Peter trailed off, phone playing the video in hand, as his shock rendered him mute.

Unsure of what to say Olivia gave his leg a reassuring squeeze before returning her focus to the road.

They pulled into a parking space before exiting the car and hurriedly making their way towards Walter's lab. As they reached the two doors to the building, Olivia pulled out her gun, "Is that necessary?" Peter questioned.

"Better safe than sorry." She replied before opening the doors and cautiously making her way through the hall. The light from outside reflected off a small trail of blood. Smeared stains dotted the wall to the right in eerie hand prints.

They found the door to the lab unlocked. As she pushed the door open it squeaked from disuse. Olivia followed the light blood trail as Peter walked steadily behind her. They reached the center of the lab, noting a light coming from Walter's office. Olivia motioned for Peter to go ahead and push the door open. Muffled voices could be heard from behind it. She squared her shoulders, preparing herself for what lay beyond the door's wooden frame.

They nodded at each other before Peter forced the door wide open, allowing Olivia to charge in.

"FBI, freeze!" Olivia shouted. The man is startled for a second but continued his work on the woman in front of him lying on the couch. With one last tug of the needle, he finished his stitching and turned to greet them.

"Walter," Peter uttered. as more of a statement than a question.

"Hello, son." a small guilty smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

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><p>"Start from the beginning," Peter demanded.<p>

"It's better if I allow her to show you rather than I explain it." Walter replied motioning towards the couch where the young woman lay sleeping.

"No, Walter you tell me now." Peter's voice was stern. He stood, arms crossed, next to Olivia, who still had no idea how to react to the situation.

"Well, did you see the tape I left you?"

"Yes, Walter."

"Well then you know where I went and what I did," Walter said, taking small steps towards his son, "and you know how hard it was for me, to leave you."

The sadness in his voice hit Peter, forcing a flicker of guilt into his eyes.

He glanced at Olivia and then at Walter before letting out a deep breath to calm himself. He said steadily, "Then explain to me that then, the tape."

Walter was momentary caught off guard by Peter's patience but proceeded anyway, "In order to reset the timeline, I had to take the Observer child, Michael, into the future, to prevent a scientist from ever creating the Observers and therefore preventing the invasion in 2015."

"And what are the Observers?" Olivia asked.

"They are another stage of human evolution. They possess immense cognitive abilities, but lack human emotion. It was that lack of emotion that Michael was sent to correct. He was an anomaly; he possessed both the astounding intelligence and the emotional abilities the scientist hypothesized could not coexist."

"What happened to him, Michael?" Peter questioned.

"He fulfilled his purpose before being killed by them. When the timeline was rewritten, three Observers survived by hiding out in a pocket universe, away from our world." He glanced at the sleeping woman on the couch, "She was their last target. We managed to escape, but at a steep price." Walter gave them both a sad smile.

"Who is she?" Olivia asked, pulling out one of the desk chairs to sit on.

Walter chuckled, "Simply put, she's your last living descendant, and an Observer prototype." Noticing the confusion in her features he continued, "The cortexiphan treatments not only changed your brain structure, but also your DNA. Since you were treated as a developing child, it rewrote the reproductive DNA in your ovum."

Olivia's confusion didn't falter. She frightfully asked, "So Etta...?"

"No, no. She only carries the gene mutation. No, Etta is fine. The gene is only activated when the subject is treated with cortexiphan at an early stage. Think of it as a predisposition gene like schizophrenia or alcoholism." He paused, momentarily lost in thought, "She must be 5 years old by now, yes?" He looks quizzically at Peter, who smiles and nods. "My, my, what I've missed." Regaining his focus, Walter continued, "No she'll be fine, Etta.

The mutation skips generations, being only present in female offspring. Before leaving to the future I made sure to destroy any evidence of the cortexiphan research and trials. Somehow the scientists found out about it. When her mother died," he briefly points at the young woman, "she was donated to science and that's where they found the mutation. Only able to harvest a handful of ovum, she was the only one to survive." Walter's face turns to anger, "They treated her with cortexiphan while still in a petri dish."

"She got a name?" Peter asked, uncrossing his arms and making his way to her.

"Elsa, her name is Elsa Erdahl. That's the name she picked when they released her into my custody."

"They let you be in charge of another person?" Peter asked, baffled.

"She was 17 when I got there." Walter replied, defensively, "Even though she was only in my custody for a few months, we did grow close. She is the one that gives the Observers the ability to move through and see time. That is why she matters so much to them." Walter finished.

Peter leaned into the couch, examining Elsa's features, "Well, the grand kids certainly went around the world. That tan skin and dark hair is definitely foreign." He leaned in closer to her face, brow furrowed, "I wonder what color eyes she—"

Peter's sentence was cut short as the previously slumbering Elsa snapped open her eyes. He jumped back with a yelp and watched as she quickly sat up; her eyes were wide and frantically examining the room.

"Elsa!" Walter exclaimed, running towards her. She immediately relaxed, leaning into Walter's hug.

"Walter, oh I'm so sorry. They got to us, I don't know how, but they did, and I had to get you away—" she eagerly tried to explain herself.

"It's alright, dear. Everything is fine now, we're safe. Although you first sent me to Hartford instead of Harvard, but I made it back in time." Walter gave her a reassuring smile.

Taking note of the others in the room, Elsa greeted them, "You must be Peter and Olivia. We've been looking for you." She said tiredly.

"Yes we have," Walter said proudly "however, morning is upon us and I, for one, am starving." He looked up at Peter and Olivia, "And I'm sure Etta is missing the both of you." He clasped his hands together, turned his back to them, and made his way into the main lab before any of them can object, "That breakfast isn't going to cook itself!" he called from a distance.

Els looked up at a dumbfounded Peter and Olivia before shrugging her shoulders, picking up a blanket off one of the chairs, and tightly wraps it around herself before slowly trailing behind Walter.

"I told you you'd jinx it." Olivia stated, as she grabbed Peter and walked out of the office, car keys in hand.

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><p><strong>Review!<strong>


	4. Chapter 3

**So here is the third chapter, as promised! The last couple of weeks have been choc full of exam after exam after project after exam. Already writing the fourth. Hopefully it will be done faster than this one. **

**Huge thanks to the wonderful beta that is inheritancedrottningu! I guess I just needed someone to actually ask me where I wanted to go with the story. Thanks to you I have a plot!**

**Note: I decided to switch the tenses so this chapter and the rest will be written in past tense. I'll go back later and fix the ones before. **

**Disclaimer in the prologue. **

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><p>Olivia and Peter ended up picking up a very sleepy Etta from her babysitter in the morning (or as Peter called it, "the butt crack of dawn").<p>

None the less, the events from the last couple of hours were enough to rob them of any desire to catch up on their sleep. Trying to restore a portion of their previous normalcy to their morning routine, Peter prepared breakfast while Olivia tried to formulate a plan as to how she was going to explain everything to Broyles. Then, there was the endless list of questions she still had regarding Walter and her great-great-great-great-great granddaughter.

She could already see the chaos of her day unfolding as she sat down at the kitchen table.

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><p>"Come again?" Broyles said with genuine confusion.<p>

Olivia gave an exasperated sigh and tried to explain again. "They showed up this morning, around 4 AM. I thought it best to not drag them into the FBI in handcuffs."

"And where are they now?" Broyles questioned, leaning forwards, elbows on his desk and hands firmly clasped together.

"Still in the lab. Despite all the info Walter gave us when we first arrived, it's obvious there's a lot more to his return that needs to be discussed."

Broyles clenched his jaw and furrowed his brow in an attempt to find a way to handle the situation. Ever since Fringe division thwarted the last attempt to end the world, all evil doings seemed to have screeched to a halt. Looking back on it now, perhaps he should have seen it as more of a warning than a blessing, like the calm before a storm where all shit goes to hell.

"Well, try to get a full explanation from them and figure out what needs to be done. If the woman is who she claims to be, she could be the key to keeping us all safe."

Olivia simply nods in understanding and gets up from her seat, "And Dunham," Broyles called.

"Yes?"

"Give Dr. Bishop my welcome."

Olivia smiled and nodded in reassurance before exiting his office and heading to the lab.

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><p>As Olivia casually walked into the lab she couldn't help but feel an odd sense of familiarity. It wasn't until Walter's return that she realized how much she missed the "mad scientist" atmosphere of the lab and how much she enjoyed its organized mess compared to her bland FBI office. The first thing she noted as she descended the steps by the door was Mystery Girl and Walter scrawling some sort of diagram onto one of the chalk boards with their backs to the lab doors. The faint sound of vinyl Bowie filled the lab like it used to, as if time had stopped and picked up where it left off.<p>

Olivia heard them murmuring to each other, apparently pointing out flaws in the diagram and making modifications. Caught in their discourse, Elsa and Walter failed to notice the new presence in the lab; Olivia, instead of making herself known, quietly took her place behind one if the nearest tables and observed them, taking in the physical appearance of the young woman.

She was tall, much like herself, perhaps an inch shorter. She had a fair olive tone to her skin and dark hair that, at the moment, was tied up in a messy ponytail.

Lost in thought, Olivia didn't notice they had stopped drawing and were now erasing the chalkboard. They appeared satisfied that whatever they were working on was now apparently complete.

"Olivia!" Walter said, delighted, "When did you come in? I didn't see you."

Startled, Olivia moved from around the table and closer to Walter, "Ah, I just got here." She answered, briefly pointing to the doors behind her.

"Where is Peter?"

"He's in Jersey for an engineering consult." Olivia replied.

"Well I guess we'll just have to explain it to him when he gets back. Elsa and I have prepared a small simulation to better answer some of your more important questions."

"But first I need to fill you in on what you missed, or rather forgot." Elsa interjected.

"Ah, okay sure. How's it work?" Olivia nervously tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, looking attentively at Elsa and Walter.

"All I need you to do is give me your hand." As Olivia moved to do so, Elsa pulled back, reconsidering.

"What is it?" Olivia questioned, her voice firm and fearless.

"I think it would be better if you sat down for this."

Finding her seat on a stool near a lab table, Olivia again offered her hand. Elsa sat herself opposite Olivia and hesitantly took her open hand. She looked down at the young woman's grasp, taking in the detail of Elsa's touch. Her mind scattered as she realized what the young woman actually was: her last living descendant,_ she_ came from her. Olivia zoned out, barely registering Elsa's words, "This won't hurt, but if you start to feel nauseous, squeeze my hand."

Olivia simply nodded in agreement, refocusing.

"Now close your eyes," Elsa instructed, blue eyes firmly locked onto Olivia's green stare.

Olivia inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, exhaling as her vision turned to darkness.

She felt nothing at first, except the warm touch of the young woman. Then, suddenly, there it was. Like a freshly broken dam, a wave of energy flooded over her. Her body tingled with radiating shock as she was hurled into an observational dream state. Olivia now stood firmly, watching as time moved around her in flashes and sparks. She lost touch with reality; the chair under her and the ground beneath her feet became non-existent. Her ears picked up the faintest of voices as they echoed through the expanse of her mind. Flashes of her daughter as a grown woman appeared before her. Olivia bore witness to the death of her only child, the despair she sees herself suffer in the flashes infected her, tightening her chest. Olivia's heart swelled with grief. Eyes drawn to the men in suits, grief morphed to heated anger.

The entire episode of time was overwhelming; the vastness of time and space reduced her sense of self to a mere particle of matter, occupying nothing but space.

Then it stopped. No longer overwhelmed, but relieved, the weight on her chest turned to dust as she could once again feel the stool under her. Olivia tightened her grip on the warm mass in her hand, testing its reality. After assessing her surroundings through touch, Olivia hesitantly opened her eyes only to be met with worried looks from the young woman and Walter.

"I told you to slow down, Elsa." Walter scolded.

"She's fine. See?" Eyes still locked onto Olivia, Elsa gently placed her hand on Olivia's shoulder in an attempt to draw her back to reality.

Clearing her throat, Olivia nervously looked at Walter before giving him a strained reassuring smile, "I'm fine, Walter. It was just a little...strange, is all."

"Well then we must proceed to the second part of our presentation."

As Walter made his way to the board, Elsa let go of Olivia and went to turn off the record player. The mood in the room changed profoundly the moment the music stopped. A serious tone overtook the lab, robbing it of any relaxation or joy. Olivia found Walter's gaze, no longer that of the man she last saw, and watched it turn grievous.

"Olivia," he said sternly, "the circumstances under which we came here revolve around a miscalculation." Taking hold of a piece of chalk, Walter drew a circle on the board with three stick figures inside, "The men in suits you saw in the recap of the previous timeline, three of them survived in the pocket universe Donald and I created. Now, when the timeline was reset," he drew arrows from the stickmen in the circle pointing outwards, "they were thrust from the pocket universe and scattered. One landed in 2167 around the time the Observers were created, and another, we suspect, is here. Understand, time moves slightly faster in the future. Where here it's been two years since Peter's seen me, it has been four years in the future since I have seen him."

"So one year here equals two years in the future?" Olivia asked.

"Yes, precisely." Turning back to the chalkboard, Walter wrote the number 2167 and drew one of the stick men under it, "One of Windmark's lieutenants, all of which were named after planets, was thrown into the timeline Michael and I traveled to. He is called Mars." Again Walter took his chalk and angrily scribbled the Observer's name onto the board, "He and some of the more neglected Observer prototypes with a grudge against humanity have seized control of a majority of the contiguous United States. Over the course of a few months they have accomplished what took years in the previous timeline. It's starting to look more and more like what we were supposed to prevent." he finished, dejectedly.

Still processing the information Olivia asked, "So if the problem is then, why come here now? Why come back, Walter?"

"Well, that gets even more complicated." Elsa spoke up, taking the chalk from Walter, "To the best of our knowledge, another lieutenant landed in this time and has been keeping up with the years." She wrote the number 2017 and drew another stick figure with the name Saturn next to it. "We know they managed to keep what was left of their Observer stuff with them, and among the items is that annoying little communication device that can connect an Observer here with an Observer then: Mars."

"What about the third Observer?"

"Unaccounted for, but we suspect he may be near this time. Walter estimates about twenty-five to fifty years from now." Elsa squinted her eyes at Walter, searching for reassurance.

Nodding, he continued, "Even though they were not erased when the timeline was rewritten, they were affected in some ways." Picking up a spare piece of chalk and drawing a thin oval with what looked to be a straight tail, Walter explained. "This is what makes the Observers the Observers. Within this piece of technology is a highly concentrated blue chemical known as ION6. That chemical was synthesized, in a time in which Michael and I did not appear, when scientists studied Elsa's brain after having dissected every inch of her body."

"Thank you for that pleasant image, Walter." Elsa sarcastically commented.

_Well, she certainly has some of that Bishop sass_, Olivia thought to herself, smirking in amusement.

"Yes, well it was unfortunate. Regardless, they still need you to repair it." Walter defended.

"So, then what's the worry? If it's damaged they can't touch us here in the present—or past—right?" Olivia asked, confused.

"Well, yes and no. They did retain the ability to move back a few years at best, although with each jump there is a refractory period. Despite this obstacle, it would be foolish of us to dismiss the possibility of them building a machine to come here. Their extensive cognitive abilities and far more advanced technology in the future would allow them to do so with ease." Walter explained.

"And, they are highly motivated to do so!" Elsa called out from one of the lab offices. Momentarily distracted, Olivia and Walter failed to notice her sneak off. Searching for the origin of her voice, they saw Elsa emerge from one of the offices carrying Walter's familiar brown leather bag. Small smudges of blood on its grip and sides reminded Olivia that Elsa had been wounded before arriving. "Before we were compromised, Walter and I stole something from them."

From within the confines of the mysterious bag, Elsa pulled out a medium sized metallic cube covered in a layer of translucent material with the Observer language engraved onto one of its faces. Complex curves and grooves decorated its sides, rightfully giving it a "futuristic tech" look.

"What is that?" Olivia asked, fearfully.

"This, my dear, is why we are here." Taking the cube in his hands, Walter held it up to the light shining from one of the dusty lab windows. The sunlight refracted through the clear portions of the cube that layered the steel frame, revealing—in rainbow colors—a familiar image onto the lab table.

"That's Peter and the machine, isn't it?" Olivia's worry failed to subside as she took in the ironically colorful image on the table. Her thoughts scattered as she tried to calm her frantic mind. That machine had robbed her of him once before; to think it could happen again was unbearable.

"They built it, the cube. Once they succeed in getting the chemical that they want from me, they plan to cross to the other universe and therefore, stay completely unaffected by yet another timeline rewrite in which you, and by extension all of your descendants, are erased." Elsa looks grimly at Olivia, allowing her to grasp the new information.

"You must have seriously pissed them off." Olivia joked, trying to lighten the thick air surrounding the situation. Her eyes stayed firmly locked onto the cube as Walter lowered it onto the table.

"Us coming here is not the first time we've interfered with their plans. Walter and I had a great deal of fun thwarting their very carefully conceived plan." Elsa and Walter both gave each other mischievous smirks as they mentally recounted their misadventures.

"Elsa's abilities not only include jumping through time, but also predicting it." Walter elaborated, suppressing a familiar shaky laugh.

"It comes and goes, and it happens on a much smaller scale, but it happens." she added.

Olivia gave a quick smile before returning her gaze to the cube. Its presence threatened everything she and Peter had built, every moment of happiness they had shared. She didn't even want to think about what would happen to their daughter. Just as she was gathering her thoughts to form another question, her cell phone rang. Hesitantly pulling it from her pocket, Olivia glanced down at the caller ID.

Peter.

_Great_, she thought to herself. Excusing herself from the table, Olivia answered the phone with her typical 'Dunham' and awaited Peter's warm voice on the other line.

"Hey, 'Livia, I'm on my way home. Have you eaten?" Peter asked casually.

"No, no I've been working." turning around, Olivia gave Walter and Elsa an exasperated look, "Actually Peter, Etta still has another two hours at the Daycare before they start scolding us, why don't you come down to Harvard lab? There's some things you need to know..."

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><p><strong>Review! <strong>


	5. Chapter 4

**Big thanks to inheritancedrottningu for giving me the idea for that last bit at the end. Also, I updated the all previous chapters in terms of time tenses and small details. No drastic changes, but they flow better now. Hope you guys enjoy!**

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><p>Peter's drive to the Harvard lab couldn't have taken any longer. Olivia's cryptic tone on the phone was more than enough cause for concern. Despite having been cancelled on by the head engineer of the project in New Jersey, Peter was relieved to have a little more time to himself and his thoughts. When Walter first disappeared, Peter turned the world upside down and inside out trying to find him. Just as everything had reached the peak of its calm perfectibility, he literally lost his father.<p>

_'I don't want to say goodbye, but I will say, I love you, son'_

Those words had been etched into the deepest and most reticent area of his mind. The absolutism of Walter's words made Peter feel all the more angry, and all the more invalid. In his search for his father, Peter had neglected his own paternal responsibilities, as well as himself. Etta barely recognized him under his overgrown scruff one night he came home, and she panicked at the shadowy sight of him entering her room to kiss her goodnight after having spent all week chasing down empty leads. The last straw fell when Olivia found him at the old house on Reiden Lake with a map and the blueprints of the Machine. He had exhausted every possible place his father could be and had contemplated searching for him through the it...

_"He has to be somewhere, Olivia. He can't just be gone!" Peter had said angrily as he paced the small expanse of the living room. She stood in the doorway leading into the kitchen as she watched him finally sit down on the couch parallel to the large glass window feeding the full-moon light into the room. She carefully made her way towards him. His head hung defeatedly, hands clutching at the sides on his head, elbows on his knees._

_Hesitantly, she broke the silence, "I know Peter, and I know you're desperate for answers," she cupped his face between her hands and tried desperately to force him to look at her in an attempt to calm him. Stubbornly, he looked past her, shameful tears threatening to spill over the rims of his exhausted eyes, "and I know you feel helpless." Pausing, a worried look overcomes her expression, "Think about why he does things. You know he'd never leave you if there were another way, you are his life and he'd never trade you for anything, Peter." He furrowed his brow, angry that she was right, angry that she loved a man like him, a weak man. He looked up into her warm green stare then forced his eyes shut, tears sliding down his cheeks. She was losing him again, "Peter—Peter, look at me. I know you're in pain and it hurts to have him ripped out of your life like this, but think about what you're doing. Etta misses you, Peter, I miss you. We want you to come home. He wouldn't want you grieving, not like this." She took her right hand from his face and gently stroked his hair back, out of his front, "Peter, be a better man than your father, don't collapse the world trying to recover something lost. "_

_And with that last statement, he shattered. Every mistake he'd made, every wrong he'd never corrected up to that point didn't compare to the intensity of the guilt he suddenly found weighing down every ounce of his existence. Tears subsiding, he looked up into Olivia's glassy eyes and embraced her, resting his head comfortably into the nape of her neck. He didn't deserve her, but he was fortunate to have her, so very fortunate._

Peter promised himself he'd never put her or Etta through that again. If he had to face something, he'd do it with Olivia, together like they were supposed to. It wasn't easy for either of them to admit defeat, or to ask for help. Their experiences had taught them to be resilient; brick by brick they built their walls that would feign safety amidst smoldering chaos. Slowly that would have to change because they were no longer alone, but with each other, and with the gem of their existence that was Etta.

As Peter pulled into the Harvard parking lot, he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and prepared himself for whatever crisis awaited him in the lab.

* * *

><p>"All caught up now?" Walter asked enthusiastically, looking from Peter to Olivia and back to Peter.<p>

Mouth agape, Peter's mind tried to process the entire complexity of the situation. His trip to another timeline via The Elsa Express had left him a little more than disoriented. His main focus was on the mystery cube and the drawings on the chalkboard.

After a long silence, Peter finally asked, "So how long?" He looked intently at Walter and Elsa, "How long until they find us?"

"We estimated about a year in this time, maybe less. Anger is a powerful motivator." Elsa repled.

"Tell me about it." Peter muttered as he stood pushed against the table he was leaning on and walked towards the cube. "You still haven't told us what this does, or how it relates to the machine, Walter."

"That cube was manufactured by the Observers. Since the Machine is both a weapon of creation and destruction, it can be added to it, and , put simply, can control time. With their cognitive powers that allow them to predict outcomes, they could set into motion an event that would catalyze their dominion over earth, or erase people from existence, should they interfere, without consequence to themselves." Walter looked over at Elsa before continuing, "In 2171, when we came from, the Observers were assembling the machine. If everything had gone according to plan, they would have gotten the ION6 from Elsa, traveled to this time to retrieve you, take you back to 2171, and use you to activate the machine."

"We knew they would inevitably have to come for you. Any one of your descendants in the first three generations could activate it, but your genetic code is only one that can control it." Elsa added.

"Think of the Machine as Cerebro of our world—and, and—Peter as Professor X." Walter elaborated upon noticing Olivia's pensive expression.

"Now I'm confused." Elsa stated.

"So you took it from the future, to what? Give them more motivation to destroy you guys?" Peter tilted his head. The edge in his voice told Olivia he clearly didn't see the justification in their arrival.

"No, of course not!" Walter defended, "We came back because there was no other option." Relaxing, Walter continued, "Beleive me, I've exhausted every other possibility. We have to assemble the Machine, plug in the piece and erase the surviving Observers from time."

"Why not just kill them?" Olivia posited.

"It's not that simple. Their existence has set in motion a series of events that, if not eradicated properly, could, again, mean the ascendancy of people less than desirable." Walter countered.

"Will it erase me again? Will it return us to the moments before you came back?" Peter asked, knowing the uncertainty of any answers his father could give him.

"I don't know, son, but those are the risks that we must take." Walter said in a gentle voice.

"We won't know anything until we assemble the Machine," Elsa interjected, "We know they have an Observer here, Saturn, who is more than capable of finding what Mars is looking for while Mars tries to find a way back here."

"Well he's going to have a lot of trouble finding it," Olivia finally spoke up, "Walter, when you vanished that day, so did the machine. It's components were being stored under tight security an FBI storage facility when they just disappeared."

"Oh, that's unfortunate." he said simply.

"We're going to need a map and exact coordinates of the facility to try to figure out where the parts may have scattered." Elsa suggested.

"Actually, first, the both of you will need to come with me to the FBI building. Broyles needs to meet with the both of you before he can entrust you with sensitive information." Olivia said as she stood from her stool and grabbed her coat.

"Now?" Walter asked, confused.

"Yes, Walter, now. You too Elsa." Putting on her coat, Olivia pointed towards one of the offices, "In that room there's a drawer near the desk with some clothes. Help yourself."

Elsa looked down at her attire, examining the dirt and blood on her dark pants and the mud on her black desert boots. Having long discarded her original white shirt for obvious reasons, Elsa was left wearing only a thin zip up hoodie over her gray sports bra. Suddenly embarrassed, she quietly made her way towards the office without another word.

* * *

><p>The drive to the FBI building had been mostly quiet, save for Walter's occasional questions about her and Peter. Olivia casually glanced at her rear view mirror, spotting Elsa practically glued to the window, examining the tall buildings and blue sky. After a painfully long hour and a half of examination, the FBI deemed Walter and Elsa fit to roam among the rest of the world without danger. Then, after another hour of explaining the situation to Broyles, Olivia contemplated making a short film that would describe things as they were and answer all foreseen questions rather than strain herself trying to recount every detail.<p>

The clock struck 7 o'clock and the second day in a row she'd be home late. Fortunately for her, it was friday which meant she could indulge in every second of the remaining day without having to pay for it at 5:30 in the morning.

"Where are we going?" Elsa asked from the back seat.

"To Peter and Walter's old house." Olivia replied.

"It faces east,"Walter added proudly, "I'm surprised he still owns it."

"Yea, well the real-estate market hasn't changed much since you left."Olivia remarked jokingly, smile tugging at her lips.

"I really did miss the two of you, and Etta." Walter said as a kind expression overcame his features.

"I know, Walter" Olivia gave him a reassuring look before finally pulling into the driveway and giving him the keys, "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Walter took the keys from Olivia and, with Elsa, got out of the SUV and walked up towards the house. After disappearing through the doorway, Olivia turned on the engine and drove home.

* * *

><p>Having picked up a jovial Etta from daycare early, Peter took the opportunity to spend some much needed time with his daughter. Eagerly anticipating her mother's arrival, Etta assaulted Olivia with hugs and endless recountings of her Day with Daddy the moment she walked through the door. Olivia was more than happy to listen to Etta and she hung on every one of Etta's little words.<p>

Peter couldn't help but notice Olivia's sudden attentiveness and awe at everything Etta did. She seemed distracted, albeit understandably, but distracted nonetheless. In true Olivia fashion, she brushed off Peter's worried glances by saying she was 'fine' and 'just stressed'. After knowing her for almost ten years, Peter knew better than to push her into talking about what was really on her mind too soon.

Etta's bath had gone smoothly, surprisingly. Even _she_ could see the worry in her mother's eyes. While Olivia brushed her hair in front of the small mirror in her room, Etta looked up at her and asked in the smallest voice, "Are you sad mommy?"

Olivia had been mindlessly combing through Etta's already untangled hair and had been snapped out of her thoughts by Etta's sudden question. Forcing a smile, Olivia simply replied, "Of course not, baby girl. Mommy's just tired, is all."

"You should go to bed. Daddy says we should always be rested good." Etta stated, turning around to face Olivia.

"I will, but first, we need to get you to bed. What book do you wanna read tonight?"

"The Lion and the Mouse!" Etta suggested cheerfully. All previous thoughts forgotten, she escaped from her place by the mirror and went to retrieve the book from her blue and green bookshelf.

Smiling, Olivia made her way towards Etta's bed, watching as the small child ran towards her and dove under the sheets, handing Olivia the book.

* * *

><p>After finally folding up and putting away their last bit of laundry, Peter made his way up to the master bedroom. Not finding Olivia in the room, Peter looked up at the clock.<p>

_Nine thirt_y, he thought to himself, "Etta, did you talk mommy into reading you 'just one more book'?" Peter asked aloud, smiling at the notion that Olivia was easily overpowered by the wishes of a six-year old. Peter changed, put on his slippers, and walked over to Etta's room.

Slowly pushing open the unlocked door, Peter inched his way in. He saw Etta lying on Olivia's right arm, warmly tucked under her blanket and clearly asleep. Olivia let her hand droop over Etta's small head, fingers casually stroking her daughter's blond curls, eyes locked onto her sleeping form.

Not raising her gaze, Olivia said quietly, "She's got the softest hair." Smiling, her eyes remained glued to Etta for a few more moments before she looked up at Peter.

Peter simply stared back at her, worry cementing in his eyes.

Looking down at her again, Olivia placed a small kiss on Etta's forehead before slowly pulling herself from under the covers and mindlessly adjusting the blanket around Etta. She finally turned off the light before taking Peter's hand and walking to their bedroom.

"What if something happens to her, Peter? What if we lose her?" Olivia sat down on the edge of the bed, looking up at Peter in front of her. "I don't think I could stand to lose her, not again." She added, voice trembling.

"Hey, 'Liv, look at me." Peter said urgently. He sat down next to her and took her hand in his, "I am_ never_ going to let that happen. What Elsa showed us isn't real. Etta is alive, and she's got both of her parents alive and well, too." Searching her eyes for a reply, he added, "We're not going to lose her, Olivia. We won't let that happen. We'll get through this, together, like we always have."

Olivia gave him a small smile before leaning into him. Peter instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace, "I hope so." Olivia finally uttered.

Peter stroked her back soothingly, whispering into her ear, "We will, Olivia. I promise"

* * *

><p><strong>That is a long exposition. I promise things will be picking up very soon. Thank you to all those who have been reading and reviewing! It takes only a few seconds to let me know your thoughts on the story so please review! <strong>

**Until next time,**

**~L**


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